Push Button Sound Box
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Overview
The Push Button Sound Box from Train Control Systems is a standalone product capable of playing sounds from TCS' massive library of bells, horns, whistles, and more! Equipped with an internal 2 Watt speaker and adjustable volume control, the Push Button Sound Box can deliver clear and powerful audio to your train room or around the Christmas tree! Also included is a 3.5mm mono line out for externally amplified speakers. See the section below for Setting up Line Out for more information.
The Push Button Sound Box can also play TCS' entire library of motive sounds, but requires an external power pack. See the section below for Setting Up Operation With a Power Pack for more information.
Features
- Integrated 2 Watt speaker
- Volume control knob
- Mono-channel Line Out for externally-amplified speakers (PC speakers, home stereo system, etc.)
- Includes TCS' complete library of Steam and Diesel sounds! (See List of Sounds for comprehensive list)
- 64 Bells
- 54 Horns
- 75 Whistles
- 13 Steam Chuff Sets
- 32 Diesel Prime Movers
- And More!
Setup Instructions
Basic Setup
The Push Button Sound Box includes a 15V power supply. Simply plugging in the power supply is all that is required to begin using this product. In this mode, the Bell, Horn, Whistle, and Change Sound buttons will operate. If no audio is heard, ensure that the Volume Knob on the rear is not turned to the Off position. The volume control only affects the internal speaker, unless set to the Off position. Simply pressing the buttons on the top will operate the sound functions. See the section below for Operational Behaviors to learn more about how each button operates.
Setting Up Line Out
The Push Button Sound Box can be connected to external speakers using the included Line Out jack on the back. The output is mono-channel, but the jack has been configured to work with mono or stereo cables so that the same sound will play through both L and R channels, rather than one or the other. If a cable has been plugged into the Line Out jack, the internal speaker will be disabled.
You will need to supply your own cable to adapt the 3.5mm Mono Line Out to whatever input is used by your speakers. PC speakers often also use 3.5mm stereo cable, which can be connected directly. Home stereo systems may require an adapter to change the 3.5mm output cable to RCA/component in. Consult your stereo's user manual for available input options. The input chosen must have an internal-amplification in order to be audible.
The output volume will be controlled by the connected output device, but the output from the Push Button Sound Box can be disabled by turning the volume control knob to the Off position.
Setting Up Operation With a Power Pack
The featureset of the Push Button Sound Box can be expanded to include Diesel Prime Mover and Steam Chuff sounds when used in conjunction with a DC or AC power supply. Out of the box, only bells, horns, and whistles are playable; however, with a connected DC or AC power supply, the Push Button Sound Box can play diesel prime mover or steam chuffs, along with other peripheral sounds such as air compressors and others. These sounds will start up once an external power supply is detected, either DC or AC. It is not possible to use DCC to control the Push Button Sound Box.
To integrate the Push Button Sound Box into your layout or display, follow these steps:
- Turn off your power pack.
- Connect one wire to each of the track output terminals on the power pack.
- Locate the screw terminal plug on the back of the Push Button Sound Box. Disconnect if necessary.
- Connect both wires from the power pack to the terminal block. The polarity does not matter. Ensure the screws are tight. Reconnect the terminal block to the back of thePush Button Sound Box if it was removed in the previous step.
Recommended Practices:
- It is recommended, but not required, that you tin the wires before connecting them to the terminal block. Ensure that no strands of wire are protruding from the terminal block.
- For DC-powered layouts, particularly with older power packs, it is recommended that you use an analog filter to stabilize the voltage output from your power pack.
- For power packs that have more than a single output, DO NOT connect both outputs to the Push Button Sound Box at the same time! If you would like to be able to use each output with the Push Button Sound Box, you should connect a double-pole double-throw switch (break before make or center-off) switch to change the input to the Push Button Sound Box between the controls.
| NOTE: The track input is high-impedance. Without the load from an actual locomotive on the rails to dissipate the energy from the power pack, the throttle response will not be accurate. |
Calibrating Sound Operation
The Push Button Sound Box can store configurations for up to three different locomotives. Each of these locomotives can have the throttle/sound response individually calibrated to provide the most realistic operation. In order to use this feature, you must have already followed the steps above to connect to your power pack.
To calibrate the throttle response for a locomotive, follow these steps:
- Run the locomotive you would like to calibrate for a minimum of three minutes before calibrating to warm up the motor and ensure it is working.
- Place the locomotive on a straight and level piece of track (if possible).
- Turn on your power pack.
- Slowly turn up the voltage on your power pack until the idling sounds start, then wait ~5 seconds.
- Press the "Rotate Sound" button until you hear the correct prime mover or chuff set you would like to use for the locomotive.†
- Enter calibration mode by pressing and holding both the BELL and CHANGE SOUND button for ten seconds.
- Select a "locomotive" by pressing the HORN button.‡
- Follow the steps as given by the audio prompts to perform the calibration process.
- Exit Calibration Mode by pressing the CHANGE SOUND button.
| NOTE: Avoid removing the power supply while in calibration mode. |
† If the bell, horn, or whistle sound changes instead, increase and then decrease the speed control on your power pack. The Change Sound button responds to the most recently played sound type - changing the speed should play a chuff or change the prime mover notch.
‡ The calibration process can be repeated for up to three different locomotives. The calibration process will save the active prime mover or chuff set, as well as the relevant voltage levels.
| NOTE: The reliability and accuracy of the calibration is affected by the stability of the voltage from your power pack. Using a power pack with poor regulation will affect the accuracy of the calibration process. |
It is a good idea to have saved profiles for the locomotives you run frequently. Once you have saved profiles, you can select the active locomotive by entering calibration mode, using the HORN button to select the locomotive number, and then pressing the CHANGE SOUND button to exit. Doing so will load the profile for the selected locomotive number, including the calibration levels and engine sounds.
Out of the box, the factory calibration levels are set based on TCS' testing of commonly-available power packs as follows:
- Locomotive 1: Bachmann Regulated 16V DC Power Pack (PN 44211)
- Locomotive 2: Lionel Chief 16V AC Power Pack
Operational Behaviors
Button Operation
On the top of thePush Button Sound Box are four buttons. From left to right (looking at the front side with the speaker facing toward you), the buttons are BELL, HORN, WHISTLE, and CHANGE SOUND.
- Bell Button - Press once to toggle the Bell sound ON. Press again to toggle the bell sound OFF.
- Horn Button - Press and hold to play the Horn sound. Release to stop.
- Whistle Button - Press and hold to play the Whistle sound. Release to stop.
- Change Sound Button - See below:
Change Sound Operation
The fourth button on the Push Button Sound Box is labeled "Change Sound" and does precisely as labeled - the most recently played sound type will be changed to a new sound of the same type if pressed. Therefore, if you would like to change the Bell sound, press the bell button and then the Change Sound Button.
When changing sounds, a short sample of the new sound will be played. A bell will ring, horn will blow, or whistle will chime each time the button is pressed. The sound that is heard will be the new sound that will be played any time you press the corresponding sound button afterwards.
Change Sound can also be used to change the motive power (Chuff/Prime mover) sounds. In order to do this, you must have set up and connected a power pack as described in the power pack setup section above. Locomotive sounds will start up once an external power supply is detected, either DC or AC, and the voltage input reaches a certain threshold. Increase and then decrease the speed control on your power pack - changing the speed should play chuffs or change the prime mover notch. So long as no other sound buttons are pressed, the Change Sound Button will change the locomotive type. When changing locomotive types, the Push Button Sound Box will toggle between steam chuff sets and diesel prime movers.
| NOTE: The "mute" locomotive type will disable the engine sounds completely, but will not interfere with the sound buttons. |
Many of the peripheral sounds, such as the air compressor and air spitter, will change along with the locomotive type. The sounds will be automatically changed to be the most accurate for the locomotive type selected. It is not possible to change these sounds manually.
Diesel Operation
When a Diesel Prime Mover locomotive sound type is selected, and a power pack is being used, the Push Button Sound Box will behave int he following ways:
- Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Air Compressor will kick on.
- Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Air Spitter sound will play.
- As the speed of the locomotive increases, the notch of the prime mover will increase. The inverse is also true.
- After a period of inactivity (while stationary/zero voltage), the prime mover will play a shutdown sequence. To restart the prime mover, increase the throttle/voltage.
Steam Operation
When a Steam locomotive sound type is selected, and a power pack is being used, the Push Button Sound Box will behave int he following ways:
- Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Air Pump will kick on.
- Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Injector sound will play.
- Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Coal Shoving sounds will play.
- Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Safety Valve sounds will activate.
- When stationary or at low speed, idling sounds (boiler noise) will play. As the locomotive accelerates, these sounds will fade out.
- After remaining stationary for some time, then starting to accelerate, Cylinder Cocks sounds will play. Once a certain speed has been reached, these sounds will stop.
- As the locomotive accelerates, Rod Clank sounds will fade in. As the speed continues to increase, these sounds will fade out.
- Chuff sounds will change pace with changes to the speed/voltage.
- After a period of inactivity, the idle sounds will stop. To restart them, increase the throttle/voltage.
Volume Control Operation
The volume knob located on the back of the Push Button Sound Box will change the volume of the built-in speaker. The Line Out will always be on at a constant level (if connected) as long as the volume control knob is not turned to the OFF position. Turning the knob down all the way will turn off the audio output, either to the internal speaker or any external speaker(s) connected to the Line Out.
List of Sounds
| Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley S4 #8223 Bell |
| Allentown & Auburn SW #206 Bell |
| BUDD RDC Bell |
| GE E-Bell |
| Fairbanks Morse Trainmaster Bell |
| Galloping Goose #3 Bell |
| GE 45 Tonner Bell |
| GE 80 Tonner Bell |
| Norfolk & Western GP9 #620 |
| Western Pacific #2100 |
| Conrail GP30 #2233 |
| Niles Canyon Mongo Speeder Bell |
| PRR GG1 Bell |
| Quincy RR SW8 #1100 |
| Richmond Pacific SW900 |
| RRMNE GE U23B Bell |
| RSD1 #1956 |
| RSD12 #2958 |
| C&CV S4 #3051 Bell |
| Santa Catalina JLA2 Critter |
| SMS Lines AS616 #554 Bell |
| SMS Lines GP38-3 #2003 Bell |
| SMS Lines U23B #4212 Bell |
| Southern Pacific #1423 |
| Southern Pacific #3100 |
| Southern Pacific #5472 |
| Southern Pacific #5623 |
| VO-1000 Bell |
| Western Pacific #713 |
| Western Pacific #918D |
| C&O Bell (Type 1) |
| CSRR Museum #491 |
| C&T #484 Bell |
| Heisler-Class hand-powered Bell |
| Replica John Bull hand-powered bell |
| Leetonia RR Shay #1 |
| Lehigh Coal & Navigation #1 |
| Lehigh Valley Bell (Type 1) |
| Lehigh Valley Bell (Type 2) |
| Norfolk & Western #611 Bell |
| Strasburg RR #89 |
| Philladelphia & Reading Camelback #592 |
| PRR H3 #1187 hand-powered bell |
| PRR H3 #2846 hand-powered bell |
| PRR #7002 hand-powered bell |
| PRR Bell |
| PRR American #1223 hand-powered bell |
| Reading Railroad Bell (Type 1) |
| Reading Railroad Bell (Type 2) |
| Reading Railroad Bell (Type 3) |
| Reading Railroad Bell (Type 4) |
| Richland, Fredricksburg & Potomac Bell |
| Richmond Pacific SW900 Bell |
| Strausburg #475 air-powered Bell |
| Strausburg #475 hand-powered Bell |
| Strausburg #90 hand-powered Bell |
| Strausburg #90 hand-powered bell (Alternate) |
| Tweetsie RR Bell 1 |
| Unknown Bell 1 |
| Unknown Bell 2 |
| Virginia Truckee RR #260 hand-powered bell |
| Williams Grove RR Bell |
| Black River & Western #60 |
| Cass Shay #3 |
| Allentown & Auburn RR SW #206 |
| SMS Lines AS616 #554 |
| SMS Lines DS44 750 #102 |
| SMS Lines S12 #303 |
| VO-1000 Horn |
| Budd RDC #41 Horn |
| Fairbanks Morse Trainmaster |
| GE 45 Tonner |
| GE 80 Tonner |
| SMS Lines U23B #4212 |
| Southern Pacific #3100 |
| Norfolk & Western GP9 #620 |
| SMS Lines GP38-3 #2003 |
| Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley S4 #3051 |
| Hancock Air Whistle (Type 1) |
| Leslie 125 |
| Leslie 200 (C&CV S4 #8223) |
| Leslie 200 |
| Leslie 3-Chime |
| Leslie RS3 |
| Leslie RS3L |
| Leslie RS5T |
| VIA Rail SCV-42 Leslie RS5 variant |
| Nathan K3 |
| Nathan K3H (Type 1) |
| Nathan K3H (Type 2) |
| Nathan K3LA |
| Nathan K3LL |
| Nathan K3P (C&CV S4 #102) |
| Nathan K5H |
| Nathan K5HL (Type 1) |
| Nathan K5LA (ACS-64 High Horn - Type 1) |
| Nathan K5LA (ACS-64 Low Horn) |
| Nathan K5LA (Amtrak SC-44 Charger) |
| Nathan K5LA (SEPTA ACS-64) |
| Nathan K5LA (Type 1) |
| Nathan K5LA (Strasburg RR #8618) |
| Nathan K5LLA |
| Nathan M3 (C&CV S4#8223) |
| Nathan M3 (Type 1) |
| Nathan M3 (Type 2) |
| Nathan M3 (Type 3) |
| Nathan M3 Tilt |
| Nathan M3 & Leslie 200 (C&CV #8223) |
| Nathan M5 |
| Nathan P3 |
| Nathan P5 |
| Nathan P5A |
| SEPTA SPAX #80 Horn |
| SEPTA SPAX #80 Horn (Alternate) |
| Quincy RR SW8 #1100 |
| Southern Pacific RSD12 #2958 |
| Galloping Goose #3 |
| Wabco E2 - 3-Chime |
| Air Chime Corporation #6 |
| Alamo Michigan Plant Whistle |
| American Steam Gauge Single Note |
| Santa Fe Original 6-Chime |
| Santa Fe Reproduction 6-Chime |
| Tweetsie RR Baldwin 3-Chime |
| Baltimore & Ohio 3-Chime |
| Boston & Maine 6-Chime |
| Buffalo Creek & Gauley 3-Chime |
| Canadian National 5-Chime |
| Canadian Pacific 5-Chime |
| Cass Scenic RR Shay #5 |
| Central NJ 3-Chime |
| Chicago Burlington & Quincy RR 3-Chime |
| Cleveland Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis 5-Chime |
| Crosby Steam Gauge 6-Chime |
| Cumbrees & Toltec #488 K36 5-Chime |
| Cumbrees & Toltec #484 K36 5-Chime |
| Cumbrees & Toltec #484 K36 5-Chime (Alternate) |
| Grand Trunk & Western 6-Chime |
| Great Northern RR 5-Chime |
| Great Northern RR 5-Chime (Alternate) |
| Hancock 3-Chime Short-bell |
| Illinois Central Nathan 3-Chime |
| Kingsly RR 4-Chime |
| Lehigh & New England 3-Chime |
| Lehigh Valley RR Crosby 3-Chime |
| Lehigh Valley RR Hancock 3-Chime |
| Louisville & Nashville 3-Chime |
| Lunkenheimer Single-note |
| Lunkenheimer 3-Chime |
| Nathan 5-Chime |
| Lehigh Coal #126 Nathan 5-Chime |
| Lehigh Coal #126 Nathan 5-Chime (Alternate) |
| Nickel Plate Road #765 |
| Norfolk & Western "Hooter" |
| Norfolk & Western Single-chime Long-bell |
| Norfolk & Western Single-chime Short-bell |
| Norfolk & Western Nathan 3-Chime |
| PRR "Banshee" |
| PRR 3-Chime |
| PRR 3-Chime (Alternate) |
| PRR K4 Whistle |
| Reading RR "Hooter" |
| Reading RR "Hooter" (Alternate) |
| Reading RR G2 #179 6-Chime |
| Reading Pacific G2 6-Chime |
| Reading RR 6-Chime |
| Reading RR 6-Chime (Alternate) |
| Rio Grande Southern RR #41 |
| Southern Pacific 5-Chime |
| Southern Pacific "Daylight" 6-Chime |
| Southern RR Single-Chime |
| Southern RR 3-Chime |
| Southern RR 6-Chime |
| London & North Eastern Crosby 3-Chime |
| UK Whistle (Type 1) |
| UK Whistle (Type 2) |
| UK Whistle (Type 3) |
| UK Whistle (Type 4) |
| Consett Iron Co. Class A #5 |
| Consett Iron Co. Class A #5 (Alternate) |
| British Single-Chime Whistle |
| Unknown Whistle (Type 1) |
| Unknown Whistle (Type 2) |
| Unknown Whistle (Type 3) |
| Unknown Whistle (Type 4) |
| Unknown Whistle (Type 5) |
| Hancock 3-Chime |
| Union Pacific 3-Chime Long-bell |
| Wabash 3-Chime |
| Wabash 6-Chime |
| Western Maryland Decapod #1114 Nathan 3-Chime |
| Western Maryland K2 #204 3-Chime |
| WW2-Era 3-Chime |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 1 | 0-4-0ST Vulcan Iron Works (Type 1) |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 2 | K-36 Narrow-Gauge (Type 1) |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 3 | K-36 Narrow-Gauge (Type 2) |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 4 | 4-6-0 Baldwin "Ten-wheeler" |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 5 | 4-6-2 Baldwin "Pacific" |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 6 | 2-8-4 Lima Locomotive Works "Berkshire" |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 7 | 0-4-0ST Narrow-gauge |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 8 | 4-6-0 Rogers Locomotive & Machine Works "Sierra" |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 9 | 2-8-0 Baldwin "Consolidation" |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 10 | 0-4-0T Vulcan Iron Works (Type 1) |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 11 | 3-cyl Shay |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 12 | 2-8-0 ALCo "Mogul" |
| Chuffinity Chuffset 13 | 0-6-0ST Vulcan Iron Works |
| ALCo | ALCo 244D 12-Cylinder Turbo |
| ALCo 251B 12-Cylinder Turbo | |
| ALCo 251D 6-Clinder Turbo | |
| ALCo 251C 12-Cylinder Turbo | |
| ALCo 539T 6-Cylinder ALCo Turbo (RS1) | |
| ALCo 539T 6-Cylinder Buchi Turbo (S4) | |
| ALCo 539T 6-Cylinder ALCo Turbo (S4) | |
| Baldwin | Baldwin 8-VO (VO-1000) |
| Baldwin 606-A (S12) | |
| Baldwin 606-NA (DS-4-4-750) | |
| De La Vergne 608SC (AS616) | |
| MUTE | Disables the motive power sounds |
| Detroit
Diesel |
MTU 16V2000 S96R |
| EMD | EMD 567C 8-Cylinder (SW) |
| EMD 567BC 16-Cylinder (FP7) | |
| EMD 567C 16-Cylinder (GP9u) | |
| EMD 567C 16-Cylinder (GP9) | |
| EMD 567D2 16-Cylinder Turbo (GP20) | |
| EMD 645E 12-Cylinder (SW1500) | |
| EMD 645E 12-Cylinder (Type 2) | |
| EMD 645E 12-Cylinder (Type 3) | |
| EMD 645E 16-Cylinder (GP38-3) | |
| EMD 645E 16-Cylinder (GP38H-3) | |
| EMD 645E 16-Cylinder Turbo (SD40) | |
| EMD 710-G3 16-Cylinder Turbo (SD70-series) | |
| Fairbanks
Morse |
38D-8 1/8 (H-12-44) |
| GE | Cummins 6-Cylinder (80-Tonner) |
| GE FDL-12 (U23B) | |
| GE FDL-12 (Type 2) | |
| GE FDL-16 (U25B) | |
| GE 7FDL-16 (C39-8) | |
| GE 7FDL-16 (Type 2) | |
| GE GEVO-12 (ES44) |
Peripheral sounds not individually listed here include:
- 11 Diesel Air Compressors
- 13 Steam Air Pumps
- 9 Diesel Air Spitters
- 6 Steam Injectors
- Brake Squeal and Brake Release sounds
- Steam locomotive Rod Clank sounds
